> business news from the capital region. this is "washington business report" with abc7 national correspondenent rebecca cooper. >> thanknks fojoining us fofor a ok at business and finance in e washington region where every tip of the klop carries us that much closer to the new year and attention over the major impact automatic spending cuts and tax rates expiring bought on our area's economy. we have been talking about the dreaded cliff -- we have d decided to wait it out.

we did -- instead of guessing we willll focus on a group of businessss leaders recognize for making things happen. maybe congress will be as inspired as we are. for our final show of 202012 wee are joining the organization junior achievement of the greater washington area to recognize the newest inductees into the washington busine hall of fame. first, a ceo who gets awards across the country for building bethesda-based eaglebank as one of the fastest i in the nationon. the ceo ron paul was named community banker of the year this year by american banker magazine. he was o of this yeyear's inducts into the washington business hall of fame. i spoke to him recently about his climb to the top. ron paul, welcome to "washington business report." you have been receiving a lot of different awards in addition to being inducted into the hall of fame by junior achievement this year. also received community banker of the year from american banker, a big national

recognitioion. your colleague mercedes said it reflects on the entire bank. what does this say about eaglebank right now? >> i think mercedes is absolutely right. the people we associate with the -- of the people we have at thehe banks are so committed to what we have been able to accomplish. we need leadership which i and the board of directors provide but the 400 people who work for us help us accomplish what we have been able to. >> what are some of the things american bankers saw in your numbers that and pressed them? >> first, , we are only 14 years old, in excess of $3 billion and size -- but size is not everything because we are driven by income over balance sheet growth. we have had 15 quarters of consecutive record earnings. when you think about it, four years of record earnings in a very difficult economy. i think they see we are very much committed to the community. even though we are three-plus billion dollars in size the average loan is still only $1.2

million. i think they see we are really committed to the local community, giving back to local community. that is hohow we started the bank 14 years ago. >> you received a lot of kudos for your acumen as a banker but you did not start off thinking you were going to be a banker, anything but. it was a bit of a winding road. tell us how you got started. >> back in 1987 - -- 1980, actually i had a real estate business and 1987 i was askeded to serve on a bank board for my real estate experience. i thought iave been borrowing my whole life as a real-estate developer so why not be on the lending side. i became the developer of a small bank. we grew it in 1986 and sold the bank. still so committed and believe in the community banking concept that i and a bunch of directors involved in the previous bank said, we can do it again. went out and became really committed to the capital side. we were strong and we had a great backne behind us.

we open with the three branchehes right away. so having the real-estate experience -- washington is such a realistic town -- it gave us a leg up understanding virtually the entire city that i or other directors understood. it made a big difference. >> give us a background for the back than that. your dad was a big influence -- he was a l liquor will sailor. what are some of the things about the business world does your dad did that he wanted to replicate? my dad was very passionate about what he did. he loved what he did. he was a salesman for a wholesaler had wonderful relationships with the stores he called on and was always available to the store owner. i remember as a kid when it was christmas time and somebody needed it is a liquor and they were out, my father was the first one saturday or sunday to figure out a way to get the case -- tried to brooklyn or queens -- to get the store owner of the liquor. it was really his passion and

vision and commitment to be able to give back. that is what he did and i have had it really my whole life during college and then starting out when i started the real- estate business. >> you went to the university of maryryland and then you and your wife moved back to new york and discovered in this maryland so he came back and took a bit of aa risk. you were working in one of the big eight firms. he became a bookkeeper. what was your grand vision then? to win american banker or community nker of the year in 2012 what did you think your path would be? >> when a graduate college, a graduate with an accounting degree and work for one of the big firms. though some but i knew in college through my fund-raising efforts that i was involved in in college, waoffered a job as a bookkeeper. i knew nothing about the real- estate industry. 0. my family was not involved in the real-estate business. then i said, why not? we decided we want to move back here. back in january of 1980. we started learning the real-

estate business with an accounting background. it was great. i love it. unfortunately it was a very difficult time back in 1980. interest rates were 21%. here i was more gossip than brains being in the business. when everybody was having problems with interest rates. but it was a great experience, because i statarted out understanding tes. >> what do you like about doing business -- first headquartered here in bethesda but the wider washington area? >> i think the washington area as one of the greatest cities in the country, probably the world. as large as it is and powerful it is because of the federal government it is still very community focus. therere are very few people that i or my fellow of the directors did not know. so, the opportunity to meet people is constant. there are many nights i am out meeting with people. as big of a community it is, it really is a small community. now we are actively expanding into the northern virginia

marketplace and we are really replicating exactly whwhat we did 14 years ago in montgomery county and i it is a new challenge for us to be able to get to know the people in northern virginia, which we feel is a terrific opportunity. >> said irk you that a town -- doesn't work you in any way in a town that has so many business leaders, who make up the business community, that it gets overshadowed by being the nation's capital and the fedal governmentnt -- sometimes is seen as a one-industry to? an interesting you bring it up. we do a lot ofoad shows in the investment community and 38% of our economy is driven by the federal government. there is still a big chunk in the private sector. when you think of ted leonsis also much of what he has done is personalizing those relationships. they talk all the time about a female and he emaileds you back. >> i foundnd out. >> i met ted and talked about. ththatat is why i believe eagaglebank

is a successful. of the leadedership side -- not just me the whole organization. it has the passion making sure they stay in touch with customers. it is that part that i think it's wonderful. the federal government -- eaglebank is the largest community bank in the washington area. but we have a very small prisons and government contracting. we are expanding that but basically it is the business and community. >> we are taping this interview before we know the outcome of the fiscal cliffff. not knowing the end results of that how do you look at 2013? where do you see opportuniti for growth and where do you see storm clouds still overhead? >> thank you for not asking me to predict what will happen by year end. the big concern i and my colleagues have is uncertainty. not just the fiscal cliff but the entire federal government, the entire regulatory world. whatever the result is of the fiscal cliff, there will be some

large degree, my prediction, of kicking the can down the road. kicking the can down the road is the most typical part of any business. when you are sitting there trying to plan for what am i going to do in 2013 and beyond -- you really do not know what happened. you did not know what and with taxes, the regulatory world. banking is a highly regulated industry. it is very difficult and very frustrating. it comes down to leadershi it really does. whether the county executive or bring the governor or president, you have to figure out a way to be able to get people to compromise. not necessarily to agree, but to compromise. i deal with it all day. >> you do work with the banking committee closely especially on the senate side, you have been called to testify. the banking industry, what does the industry most need washington to do in order to enable growth in banking in 2013? >> a think one of the bigg problems in banking is evyone think one-size-fits-all. that is absolutelyot true.

the large banks, an example 98.5% of the banks in the country only control 20% of the deposits. 1.5% control 80% of the deposits. so you can see the discussions and issues as of it -- ait relates to big banks are very differerent than community banks. my personal opinion -- and i think statistics show -- local community will be driven by the small business. so we have to separate from the regulatory perspective how you deal with large banks s and community banks. they are totally different businesses. >> you are in an industry thatt needs to be conservative by nature, but yet as i look at your career, it seems like a series of risk-taking where you are willing to go out and try something you had never done before. would you describe yourself as a -- risaker, and is it important banking? >> one half of my brainn is

realistic and the other is banking. i think y disagree -- squeezed the risk out as much as possible when you are passionate about what you are doing. it does not mean you will be the best but it means you will be successful. i truly believe that anybody in business has some levevel of risk taking, whether you are chairman the banca or listed or investment company. there is some level of risk. anything you do in light has a level of risk. it is really a matter -- matter of managing the risk. >> you talk abou how banking is changing and the customer is changing and how they use banks. what will the next decade's banker look like that will be different than that kind of banker when you first went into thee business? >> a great questions. i think you will continue to see the personal business side of community banking. like many industries you will have the gll sized banks and community banks. i think the in betweens will disappear because they cannot

find the right place. i think community bank -- technology will take a bigger role in it, but i ill think there is no substitute for the personal relationship. as long as i will be in banking, hopefully many years, and walls them around the relationship and personal banking. >> ron paul -- not the one who ran for president -- i am sure you are glad the campaign over so you u can takake your name back. thank you u for joining us onn "washingn business report." a big coratulations to ron paul a and the four other area business leaders whoere inducted i into the w washington bubusiness hall of famame. ter in the show wewe wil tell you u all about thehe fellow inctees of 2012. up next, our number of the week. a nearly even chance it might apply to you. stay with us.

>> welcome back. as you plan the new year we wanted to let you know the number of the week is 45, the percentage chance you will make a neww year'r's resolution this week. at the university of scranton journal of clinical psychology said 35% normally make new year's resolutions -- the top five are losinweight, getting organized, s saving money enjoying life, and staying fit and healthy. it says 46% of the resolution makers add to stick to them for at least six months. rearchers f found peoplwho make resolution explicitly are 10 times more likely to achieve their goals than thoseho cannot make any. stay with us for more fr the roundtab, but first the federal hot minute. >> what the federal government buys is not what makes the markrket so unique about how it buys does.

in order to achieve sustained success, contractotors must have a good grasp of how the buying process works, especially if you are in the i.t. segment of the market, where the volume is enormous, competition is fierce and the acquition process can be complex. it recently published book called "the inside guide to the federal i.t. market was " should provide insight to anyone, regardless of their level experience. this will take a look at the federal i.t. mamarket from several perspepectives. it defes t size of the market the appropriations process, who makes buying decisions, as well as the various types of contracts. it even has a section on ethics rules, which often has a wide range of interpretations. a must read for anyone whoo makes their career living in the i.t. business of government. you c c

>> ts week, a roundtable of one followed by the shadow of four impressive people. earlier we heard from eaglebabank 's gentleman ron ul was abducted -inducted into the washington business s hall of fame. he h had great company four others also nored. steve longley, junior achievement vice-president of development are here with detatails of the new hall of famers. this is big part of whahat you do among many of their hats. first, tell us about junior achievement and the goals. >> thank you for having me, rebecca. junior achievementnt has been doing the hall of fame for 25 years but in the business of teaching finaial leracy to cit t -- to kids for nearly 100.

our focus is to empower young people to on their economic destiny. what we feel each kid has rudder on their own life andnd have dres and they are created an intelligent and we e try to give them the tools to steer the rudder. >> i was thrilled when i interviewed ron pauand he says my 10-year-old has a great future because he already has a job, a paper route. it was a big influence on him at an e early age. he was very compmenty on someplace we need to go on a field trip finance park. findnd out about -- tell us about finance p part. >> i think it is the only financncial structure dedicated to taking -- teaing kids about money and personal budgeting. it opened in october of 2010. we teach 14,000 students, middle school students, the art of sort of how to design a budget. >> am i right that other kids cano through the park? >> it starts with fairfax

county, because we are in fairfax and on many days we are available we can take other kids in other schchools. >> let's get right to the other inductees. i want to start with somebody i grew up knowing about, he is the brother of a friend of mine from abc news, cokie roberts, a son of the former eaker of t the house halele boggsgs and son of congressman bob -- thomas boggs, jr., wewell-kwn in washgton. here a are a few facts. he has been on national law journal list of top p 10 lawyers nationwi every year since the listst began. he joined the firm of patton boggs llp in 1966 and he designed and secure the chrysler bailout in 19. an institutition in washiningtonnd capitol hill. what are some of the things about himm that are notable? >> one thing we found out about these leaders who have done

incredible things, once the received the award will learn intereresting facts. when thomas boggs, jr. spoke ththat night and reference but that they do the most pro bono work of any fm in washington because law firms are nototed for their pro bono work but i think boogs stands out. giuseppe ceci, president of idi group companies. he developedhe watergate properties including the infamous watergate hotel the watergate condominiums. of the first mixed-use develoent in washington which inincluded office space andnd residents. he found it idi group in 1975 and he is involved in many professional a civic organizations. tell us about mr. cecchi. >> he started in this area many years ago. i think one of the things t that stand out about his speech that night at the hall of fame is he gave a lot of principles of education for young people. he said, and earn your keep.

don't go into debt. and y to find a way foror your own business to work. >> john darvish is one of -- is the fatather of one of our favorite guests tammy darcars -- 034 franchiseses and recoized for charitable ends of th generosity. what stands about john darvish? >> the organization pports over 3 300 c charitable organizationeach year, which is i incredible just ainsult. i think john mementioned that night that no laws are was built by a rookie but the titanicas bought by professionalals. >> will have to wrap up soon. i wanted to the next one. you and i both like the fact that joh darvish to this d day care is as first paycheck, $2.94? fifinally, m. charito kruvant creative associates international. a leading -- resource in -- assistining companies in

transition, to restorere democratatic values. e grew up in argentina but became aeal as division in washington. >> her business is fascinating. gog into third worldld countries and rebuiing the educational and for stricter. it is remarkable and she does it in a quiet and generous with. >> steve longley, thank you for introducing us to l the induees. we need to get in one last break and we will bebe back with closing notes.s.

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>> thanks for joining us for all of 2012. we are glad you di we would like to remind you as always you have options on how to connect with the show. on twitter, and you can n sech for "washington business report" on facebook and existing version onon the beat l.a..com. search using q quotation marks -- wjla.c. weope to see you again and the new yeyear. and to congress, we hope we gave them a ltle bit of inspiration ts week from people known for getting things done. i'm rebecca cooper. happy new year..